Senior Cong leaders attempt to quell dissidence

Senior leaders in the Congress stepped up their efforts on Sunday to quell the disgruntlement in the party, by assuring those left out from the Cabinet that they, too, will be given a change in the future.

Congress floor leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said he will talk to AICC president Rahul Gandhi on filling the remaining six ministerial berths allocated to the party in the JD(S)-Congress coalition government.

At the same time, disgruntlement within the party, which had peaked soon after Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy expanded his Cabinet on June 6, seemed to have fizzled down a bit on Sunday.

“I will try and meet Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi and impress upon him that there is an immediate need to fill the six vacancies to end the dissidence in the party," Kharge said.

Siddaramaiah speak

Former chief minister Siddaramaiah also broke his silence on the dissent in the Congress. Speaking to reporters at Badami, Siddaramaiah said that the term of the present ministers will be for two years. “After that, we will give a chance to other eligible people... all problems will be sorted out,” he said.

Senior leader M B Patil, who had raised a banner of revolt against the party, mellowed down after he met Rahul in New Delhi.

Patil, who returned to Bengaluru from the national capital, told reporters: “I did not demand any position of either the deputy chief minister or the KPCC president. I have conveyed to the high command the prevailing situation in the state unit of the party,” Patil said.

Patil said he cannot disclose the details of his discussion with Rahul. Patil also backtracked on his earlier statement that he would hold a meeting this week with 15 to 20 MLAs, who were unhappy with the Cabinet expansion, to decide their next step.